Isobel Greenhalgh

I am a research assistant in the Attention, Brain and Cognitive Development (ABCD) and BabyLab Research Groups. My research focuses on the development of executive functions in infants through a longitudinal study utilizing behavioural, genetic and neuroimaging techniques such as EEG and fNIRS.

Executive functions include inhibitory control (the ability to stop ourselves from doing something), working memory (being able to hold and manipulate information in our minds) and cognitive flexibility (the ability to switch our attention or actions between different tasks). Unsurprisingly, executive functions have been linked to performances at school and work as well as to happiness, with stronger executive functions associated with better outcomes in these areas. Therefore, furthering our understanding of how executive functions develop at a young age may allow us to identify and provide support earlier on for infants who experience problems in this area, hopefully giving rise to a more positive outcome. 

Prior to working at Oxford I studied for a BSc in Neuroscience at the University of St Andrews and then completed an MRes in Cognitive Neuroscience at UCL.